Safet Sušić

Safet "Pape" Sušić (pronounced [sǎfet sûʃitɕ]; born 13 April 1955) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of TFF First League club Akhisarspor. He was a gifted midfielder known for his dribbling skills and technical ability, and is strongly reputed to have been one of the finest European players of his generation. Sušić played for Yugoslavia in two FIFA World Cups, 1982 and 1990, and at UEFA Euro 1984. As a manager, he qualified the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Safet Sušić
Sušić as manager of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1955-04-13) 13 April 1955
Place of birth Zavidovići, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)
Youth career
1971–1972 Krivaja
1972–1973 Sarajevo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1982 Sarajevo 221 (86)
1982–1991 Paris Saint-Germain 287 (67)
1991–1992 Red Star 17 (3)
Total 525 (155)
International career
1977–1990 Yugoslavia 54 (21)
Managerial career
1994–1995 Cannes
1996–1999 İstanbulspor
2001 Al Hilal
2004–2005 Konyaspor
2005–2006 Ankaragücü
2006–2007 Çaykur Rizespor
2007–2008 Çaykur Rizespor
2008 Ankaraspor
2009–2014 Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015–2016 Évian
2017 Alanyaspor
2018 Akhisarspor
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played as an attacking midfielder, often in a role of trequartista or fantasista (i.e. a creative playmaker) and rarely as a second striker for Sarajevo, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star,[1] and internationally for Yugoslavia. Even more later during his career, Sušić was utilized more in a role of a deep-lying playmaker, both for club and national team. In 2010, France Football voted him as Paris Saint-Germain's best player of all time and the best foreign player of Ligue 1 of all time, with his compatriot and friend who also had a spell with PSG, Vahid Halilhodžić, being voted seventh.[2][3][4] As part of the UEFA Jubilee Awards in 2004, the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina chose Sušić as the nation's greatest ever player.[5]

Following his retirement from playing, he started working as a manager. He worked for a number of club sides: Cannes, İstanbulspor, Al Hilal, Konyaspor, Ankaragücü, Çaykur Rizespor, Ankaraspor, Évian, Alanyaspor, Akhisarspor and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Zavidovići, FPR Yugoslavia, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sušić started playing football in the youth team of his hometown club Krivaja. In 1972, he joined the youth team of Sarajevo.

Sarajevo

Sušić made his senior debut for Sarajevo in 1973, one year after joining the youth team. During the 1979–80 season, he was the top scorer in the Yugoslav First League with 17 goals. In 1979, he was honoured as the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year, also being selected as the best athlete hailing from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1981, Sušić was awarded the Sixth April Award of Sarajevo.

Paris Saint-Germain

In 1982, Sušić signed with Paris Saint-Germain, where he became a star on the European stage. During his first season with the club, Sušić helped PSG to win the 1982–83 Coupe de France, scoring three goals over two legs in the semi-final against Tours, and once in 3–2 victory over Nantes in the final. During the 1985–86 season, Sušić scored ten goals as the Parisiens won their first ever national league title.[5]

Overall, Sušić scored 85 goals and made a record 95 assists for PSG between 1982 and 1991. He is fifth in the club's all-time appearance list with 344 appearances, tied with Paul Le Guen. On 22 September 1984, in a 7–1 home drubbing of Bastia, he assisted on five of the side's goals. At 36, Sušić went to the second Paris-based club for a final year with Red Star.

On 5 February 2010, France Football chose Sušić as the best player in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, ahead of players such as Carlos Bianchi, Mustapha Dahleb, Ronaldinho, George Weah, Joël Bats, Raí and Luis Fernández.[6][7]

Red Star

In his only season with Red Star, he played in Ligue 2, the second division of French Football. He played in 17 league games for the club in that season campaign, scoring 3 goals in the process. Shortly after leaving Red Star, Sušić announced his retirement from football in 1992.

International career

During Sušić's playing career, Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of SFR Yugoslavia and thus he represented the Yugoslavia national team at international level.

Between 1977 and 1990, Sušić appeared 54 times for Yugoslavia, scoring 21 times.[8] He debuted for his country in 1977 and scored his first goals for the team against Hungary in October of that year. A month later, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–4 victory against Romania during the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification. However, this was Yugoslavia's only victory of their group and they failed to qualify for the tournament finals.

In June 1979, Sušić scored his second international hat-trick as Yugoslavia beat Italy 4–1 in a friendly match held in Zagreb. In September, he again scored three times in a 4–2 win over world champions Argentina.[5]

Sušić was a member of the Yugoslav team that qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, scoring once in a 5–0 win against Luxembourg.

Sušić was top scorer of Yugoslavia in qualification for UEFA Euro 1984. His two goals in a 3–2 win over Bulgaria in the final qualification fixture helped Yugoslavia to finish three points ahead of the Bulgarians and one point ahead of Wales and advance to the tournament finals. Yugoslavia ultimately finished bottom of their group in France, losing all three matches.

At the age of 35, Sušić made his second appearance at a World Cup finals as a member of Yugoslavia's squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He scored his only World Cup goal in the team's 4–1 win against the United Arab Emirates during the group stage. He played 61 minutes before being substituted for Dejan Savićević in the penalty shootout loss to eventual runners-up Argentina at the quarter-final stage.[9] His final international was a November 1990 European Championship qualification match away against Denmark.[10]

In 2004, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, Sušić was selected as the Golden Player of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.[11][12]

His former international teammate, Darko Pančev declared:

"It's well known how much I valued and still do value Safet Sušić. For me he's unsurpassable, the best Yugoslavia had. Probably one of the best in the world. I was often known to say that us other players should have to pay to play in the same team as Pape. At least I always talked and thought like that. Pape was a treasure for every forward. His crosses were unbelievable. Sometimes his ball would hit me without me even being aware of it. A wonderful player."[13]

Managerial career

Early career

Sušić first managed French club Cannes during the 1994–95 season and the beginning of the 1995–96. From 1996 until 1999, he managed İstanbulspor, then Al Hilal in 2001, Konyaspor from 2004 to 2005, Ankaragücü from 2005 until 2006, Çaykur Rizespor on two occasions, first in 2006 and the second time from 2007 to 2008.[14] Sušić was then hired by Ankaraspor in March 2008.[15] He left Ankaraspor in June 2008.

UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying

On 28 December 2009, Sušić was named head coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.[16] His debut was a friendly match against Ghana in Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina won the game 2–1 after goals from Vedad Ibišević and Miralem Pjanić. After only 2 wins in Sušić's 6 first matches in charge of the national team, including an important 2–0 loss against France in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying, Sušić came under a lot of criticism from several journalists and columnists who called for his head.[17][18] Sušić recorded a 1–1 draw against France during a second game in Paris and ensured Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for their second consecutive qualification play-off berth for UEFA Euro 2012 which was played against Portugal in November of that year.[19][20]

2014 FIFA World Cup
Sušić (back of the photo) with Bosnia and Herzegovina in a match against Iran at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

From August 2012 to August 2013, Sušić's Bosnia and Herzegovina side was on a nine-game unbeaten streak run. On 8 August 2013, the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team achieved their highest ever FIFA ranking, 13th place.[21] On 15 October 2013, the country qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, their first major tournament in the country's history as an independent nation.[22] Sušić's side fared well in their first World Cup match against Argentina despite losing 2–1. An unlucky own goal and some brilliance from football legend Lionel Messi saw them to a defeat. However, highs taken from the match were the good play the team demonstrated and the materialisation of their first World Cup goal scored by Vedad Ibišević. The team however controversially exited the competition at the group stage of the tournament after their second game against Nigeria having an equaliser scored by Edin Džeko wrongly disallowed for offside. This revitalised the calls for reformation of the FIFA governing body and the replacement of linesmen with technology so as to remove human error from lines decisions. Bosnia and Herzegovina won their last game in the competition against Iran with a healthy 3–1 victory which would've seen them through instead of Nigeria, who incidentally failed to defeat Iran, to a round of 16 match with France.

Contract extension and sacking

In July 2014, Sušić signed a two-year contract to continue as head coach, after he withdrew his resignation.[23] On 17 November 2014, the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sušić parted ways after poor showing of the national team in the first four games of the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.[24][25]

Évian

On 13 July 2015, Sušić was named manager of French Ligue 2 club Évian. On his debut he registered a draw. After the first four rounds, his new side registered four drawn games.[26]

On 11 January 2016, Sušić was sacked by Évian due to a run of poor results at the club. After 20 rounds, the club was placed 13th on the table and were eliminated from the Coupe de la Ligue at the third round.[27] He was replaced by Romain Revelli.

Alanyaspor

On 27 January 2017, Sušić signed a contract with Alanyaspor until June 2018.[28] He was sacked on 25 December 2017 because of a string of poor results.[29]

Akhisarspor

On 30 June 2018, Sušić was named new manager of Turkish Cup winner Akhisarspor.[30]

After about a month and a half, Akhisarspor as cup winners, participated in the Turkish Super Cup match against league champions Galatasaray. The result after full-time was 1–1, but Akhisar won 5–4 on penalties. That was Akhisar's second mayor trophy in the club's history and the first in Sušić's managing career.[31]

On 17 September 2018, after only collecting two points in five games in the league, Sušić was sacked.[32]

Legacy
A portrait of Sušić

Safet Sušić Pape is a bestseller novel written by Bosnian novelist Zlatko Topčić, and published in 2007. Popular Sarejevo sketch comedy and variety TV series, Top Lista Nadrealista, also on occasion treated a subject of football and popular sportsmen-women in their program, with songs dedicated to Sušić and Yugoslav national football team under management of another Sarajevan, Ivica Osim, being prominent feature of couple episodes.

Personal life

Sušić comes from a sporting family. Sead Sušić, a former footballer, is Safet's older brother. Safet's nephew, Tino-Sven Sušić, is also a footballer, formerly even a player of Sarajevo who also alongside Safet appeared at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Safet's mother Paša died on 28 April 2018 at the age of 96.[33]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sarajevo 1973–74 Yugoslav First League 1020020122
1974–75 331110–3411
1975–76 16200–162
1976–77 28933–3112
1977–78 33820–358
1978–79 301510–3115
1979–80 341741–3818
1980–81 72002294
1981–82 171100–1711
1982–83 13922622113
Total 2218613610424496
Paris Saint-Germain 1982–83 French Division 1 188188
1983–84 3881389
1984–85 341023412
1985–86 3710–3710
1986–87 29320313
1987–88 243–243
1988–89 347–347
1989–90 3671368
1990–91 3710–3710
Total 2876714434485
Red Star 1991–92 Division 2 173–173
Career total 525155208605184

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Yugoslavia 197745
197840
197956
198063
198120
198240
198353
198452
198500
198600
198700
198821
198970
1990101
Total5421

International goals
Scores and results list Yugoslavia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sušić goal.
List of international goals scored by Safet Sušić
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 5 October 1977 Budapest, Hungary  Hungary 1–2 3–4 Friendly
2 3–4
3 13 November 1977 Bucharest, Romania  Romania 1–1 6–4 1978 World Cup qualifier
4 3–3
5 4–3
6 13 June 1979 Maksimir, Zagreb, Yugoslavia  Italy 1–1 4–1 Friendly
7 2–1
8 3–1
9 16 September 1979 Marakana, Belgrade, Yugoslavia  Argentina 1–0 4–2 Friendly
10 2–0
11 3–0
12 30 March 1980 Belgrade, Yugoslavia  Romania 2–0 2–0 Balkan Cup
13 27 August 1980 Bucharest, Romania  Romania 1–3 1–4 Balkan Cup
14 10 September 1980 Luxembourg, Luxembourg  Luxembourg 1–0 5–0 1982 World Cup qualifier
15 12 October 1983 JNA, Belgrade, Yugoslavia  Norway 2–0 2–1 Euro 1984 qualifier
16 21 December 1983 Poljud, Split, Yugoslavia  Bulgaria 1–1 3–2 Euro 1984 qualifier
17 2–1
18 2 June 1984 Lisbon, Portugal  Portugal 1–1 3–2 Friendly
19 7 June 1984 La Línea, Spain  Spain 1–0 1–0 Friendly
20 19 November 1988 JNA, Belgrade, Yugoslavia  France 2–2 3–2 1990 World Cup qualifier
21 19 June 1990 Dall'Ara, Bologna, Italy  United Arab Emirates 1–0 4–1 1990 World Cup

Managerial statistics
As of 15 September 2018[34]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Cannes France 1 July 1994 11 September 1995 52 20 9 23 83 75 +8 038.46
İstanbulspor Turkey 25 September 1996 30 June 1999 102 45 25 32 178 148 +30 044.12
Al Hilal Saudi Arabia 1 February 2001 30 June 2001 6 2 2 2 9 8 +1 033.33
Konyaspor Turkey 1 October 2004 30 June 2005 28 10 8 10 58 53 +5 035.71
Ankaragücü Turkey 23 September 2005 9 February 2006 13 5 4 4 19 18 +1 038.46
Çaykur Rizespor Turkey 15 September 2006 19 January 2007 5 2 1 2 5 5 +0 040.00
Çaykur Rizespor Turkey 31 August 2007 1 February 2008 14 6 2 6 18 24 −6 042.86
Ankaraspor Turkey 6 March 2008 30 June 2008 10 5 2 3 11 8 +3 050.00
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina 29 December 2009 17 November 2014 49 23 9 17 83 49 +34 046.94
Évian France 12 July 2015 11 January 2016 23 7 6 10 37 33 +4 030.43
Alanyaspor Turkey 27 January 2017 25 December 2017 35 13 5 17 62 64 −2 037.14
Akhisarspor Turkey 30 June 2018 17 September 2018 6 1 2 3 10 13 −3 016.67
Total 343 139 75 129 573 498 +75 040.52

Honours

Player

Paris Saint-Germain

Individual

Awards

Performance

Manager

Akhisarspor

Individual

Awards

References
  1. "Safet SUSIC". Histoire du #PSG. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  2. "PAPE SUŠIĆ ZA SB: Velika je čast biti najbolji stranac u historiji francuskog nogometa". slobodna-bosna.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  3. "Sušić: Velika čast za mene i BiH; Halilhodžić: Potpuno zasluženo". Klix.ba. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  4. "Pape Sušić najbolji igrač u istoriji PSŽ-a | Mondo Sport". Mondo.rs. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  5. "Sušić a safe bet for goals". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  6. "DNEVNIAVAZ.BA - Dogadjaji - Parižani mu se i danas klanjaju". Archived from the original on 8 February 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  7. "Susic, joueur de l'Histoire du PSG : France Football". Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  8. Yugoslavia (Serbia (and Montenegro)) - Record International Players - RSSSF
  9. "ARGENTINA – YUGOSLAVIA". Planet World Cup. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  10. "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  11. Golden players take center stage; UEFA.com, 29 November 2003
  12. "Sušić hoping for Bosnian breakthrough". uefa.com. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  13. Pančev interview on Sportin Archived 2 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine (in Bosnian), 24 February 2008
  14. "Sušić pays for Rizespor slump". UEFA.com. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  15. "Ankaraspor turn to Sušić". UEFA.com. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  16. "Safet Sušić named new Bosnia football coach". USA Today. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  17. "Oprosti mi, Pape, za sve grube ri'či, al' ipak, otiđi! – Klix.ba". Sarajevo-x.com. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  18. "SPORT CENTAR || smiješ da znaš sve o sportu || Sušiću, čučnuli smo!". Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  19. "Draw for the UEFA EURO 2012 play-offs – UEFA EURO – News". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  20. "Sušić and Bento expect to be pushed all the way – UEFA EURO – News". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  21. "Hrvati upozoravaju: Zmajevi sve bliže Vatrenima". Sport.ba. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  22. World Cup 2014: Dzeko & Begovic in Bosnia-Hercegovina squad, BBC Sport.
  23. "Bosnia-Hercegovina coach Safet Susic signs two-year deal". Bbc.co.uk. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  24. "Safet Sušić smijenjen!". Klix.ba. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  25. "Safet Sušić više nije selektor reprezentacije BiH!". SportSport.ba. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  26. "Safet Sušić: BiH mora dobiti Belgiju za direktan plasman na Europsko prvenstvo". Reprezentacija.ba. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  27. "ZBOG LOŠIH REZULTATA Evian otpustio Safeta Sušića | Avaz". Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  28. "Alanyaspor, Safet Susic ile anlaştı". Futbolarena.com. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  29. "Έμειναν χωρίς προπονητή οι Τζαβέλλας και Μανιάτης". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  30. Safet Sušić ozvaničio saradnju s Akhisarsporom, vodit će ekipu u Evropskoj ligi at klix.ba, 30 June 2018
  31. Safet Sušić srušio veliki Galatasaray: Akhisar osvojio turski Super Kup at klix.ba, 5 August 2018
  32. Safet Sušić više nije trener Akhisarspora at klix.ba, 17 September 2018
  33. Preminula majka Safeta Sušića at infosvijet.net, 28 April 2018
  34. "Safet Sušić". Sofascore (in Croatian). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
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